Xbox Partners With Special Olympics for Video Game Competition

Following the introduction of an innovative adaptive controller for Xbox One, Microsoft has now gone above and beyond to help those in need by announcing a special tournament.

The company behind the Xbox One has announced that it is teaming up with the Special Olympics to host the first-ever video game tournament for Games In Seattle. Titled the Xbox Gaming Tournament at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, it's set to take place on Monday, July 2, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM in the Lyceum room at the University of Washington.

Microsoft has actually been in partnership with the Special Olympics since 2014 and serves as a Premier partner for the tournament.

"At Microsoft, we believe that gaming is for everyone so we're proud to pilot the first gaming tournament at the Special Olympics USA Games this summer" said Phil Spencer, head of gaming at Microsoft. "Competitive video gaming is enjoyed by players around the world, and our goal with this pilot tournament is to challenge biases and breakdown barriers while providing an empowering and fun experience for all players."

Microsoft had actually held qualifier events at Microsoft stores to get the eight teams together for the tournament. The teams will compete in Forza Motorsport 7, Microsoft's hit racing game for Xbox One.

"Many of our athletes are avid gamers and research indicates playing video games can potentially boost cognitive and motor skills of people with intellectual disabilities," said Beth Knox, President and CEO of the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games. "We are thrilled to partner with Xbox to bring the first-ever video gaming tournament to the USA Games. We hope everyone will come out and support the competitors in this pilot event."

For those attending the event, Microsoft will also have playable kiosks featuring a number of games, including Forza Motorsport 7, Super Lucky's Tale and Minecraft, in case you need to get in a gaming fix before the tournament. They'll be located in the USA Games Fan Zone, which will be located at the Northwest Plaza in Husky Stadium.

We wish all the teams the best of luck in July's tournament!

If you want to check out Forza Motorsport 7, it's available now for Xbox One and Xbox One X.